Super Smash Brothers: Conflict
by Purple-Eyed Devil
Summary: When world meet and heroes unite, there will always be darkness. And hidden in that darkness is the largest threat faced by the Smashers since the Subspace Army...
1. Overview

Ahaha, hello everybody. This here's my first fanfiction here, although this is more of a prologue. Yeah, I know, boring, but nessisary.

I do not own anything but the story. All songs, characters, places and ideas go to their respective creators. I will not be making money off of this.

* * *

Everyone knows the two God-like things that brought the Worlds together. However, it is not known if they actually created these worlds, or if they just stumbled across them, on their travels. Master Hand and Crazy hand were the two that brought us to the Smash universe, and it is them that allow us to come back to life after each and every battle. As long as we fight for them, they will allow us to return.

I was told that they never intended on making all the worlds into one... At least, not at first.

Master Hand was the master of order, of light. He was the benevolent, older brother, and he has always watched over us. However, at first, he was opposed to the idea of the joining of the worlds.

Crazy Hand was the creator of Chaos, of strife, but also the excitement that made battle so enticing. In order to create more of the battle he so wanted, he wanted to destroy the barriers his brother created to separate the worlds. He had wanted to see all of them combined into one world, which they would rule, as Gods.

Of course, this caused conflict.

The two continuously argued over the centuries as their multiple worlds thrived and survived each fight more desperate then the last. It all came to a head when Crazy Hand finally overcame his brother, and destroyed the barriers separating the worlds. Hundreds of thousands of miles of land were destroyed as they combined, resulting in uncountable deaths... To the citizens of those worlds, they saw a storm of legendary proportions, followed by an earthquake that could never be reproduced, even by the most advanced technology.

When the citizens of the new, combined world stood outside of their destroyed homes, they saw what it had become. Medieval castles now stood next to futuristic tracks, while talking animals existed next to robots and guns and swords were both commonplace. The Master Hand saw what had happened, and in order to preserve peace, chose a number of individuals to act as peacekeepers between the combined worlds. He took the shattered Barrier, and formed it into four crystals, which he gave to the most powerful royalty of the lands. Prince Marth, Prince Roy, Princess Zelda, and Princess Peach, all received one, and were told never to tell anyone of them. At the same time, Crazy Hand prepared his own choices to keep things interesting.

Those first few years were dark, I remember. On several occasions, there was nearly a world-wide war, when the dark Kings of different worlds saw each other as threats. I remember King Bowser being a huge threat to several of the smaller countries. However, Master Hand had an idea. This idea was the creation of one tournament, held in the prestigious Mushroom Kingdom that would bring the new worlds together in culture as well as land.

The Super Smash Tournament was one of the largest events in all of the Smash Universe. The first person to win was Mario, Champion of the Mushroom Kingdom, with a close second being Link. The first tournament was a huge success, so much so that a second was planned. Melee, as it was called, introduced many new combatants, including Prince Marth and Prince Roy themselves. The winner of that tournament was Link, the Hero of Time.

By then, the tournament was so popular that hundreds of people flocked to the scene to enter the third tournament, called Brawl. While the contestants from the last one were sent invitations, some could not attend for some reason or another. Prince Roy was one of them, which saddened many others. In his place, a newcomer was sent to make sure those Kingdoms were properly represented. All anyone knew about him was his name. Ike. However, three weeks before the Tournament was to start, the invasion began, during a small match between two friendly nations. I remember it well. Brawl was to be my first tournament, so I had gone to the new Smash Stadium to see what I was against.

That day, all hell broke loose.

The Subspace Army aimed to take over the world, led by the mysterious Tabuu, and controlling several esteemed members of the Smash community. Subspace bombs destroyed hundreds of miles of land and buildings, and killed hundreds. For a while, it seemed like there was no stopping the Subspace Army. However, through the combined efforts of the Heroes, Tabuu was defeated, and everything returned to normal... But there was one death that affected all. Master Hand could not be revived, due to Crazy Hand's power of destruction instead of creation. Finally, the god saw his mistake in combining the worlds.

However, the show had to go on, and there was no turning back time.

The Brawl Tournament continued on, without any more interruptions. The fighting was fierce, and there were more than a few close calls, with all of the new combatants. And who was to come out on top but the darkhorse player, Ike? He had been essential to the defeat of Tabuu, so it only made sense that he took the title, and with it, the young Prince Marth's heart.

After that, the mercenary seemed to disappear, leaving the rest of us Smashers to plan for the next tournament in a year. Crazy Hand was left to mourn his brother's death, and study the effects of the four crystals he left behind.

Only half a year passed before trouble started again.

That was only a few weeks ago. Once more, a large army threatened the country, starting by taking over small communities in the middle of nowhere. Refugees from the conquered areas flooded in, telling horrifying tales of monsters, demons, all led into battle by seven people. They said the army was cursed, and so we took to calling them the Cursed Army. Peach was the most worried, I think. She had seen her people in the Mushroom Kingdom suffer to the claws of Bowser, and the incident with the Subspace Army only made her fears worse.

And only yesterday, two mysterious individuals appeared at the Stadium. The male was covered by a vivid red coat, and had a mop of starlight silver hair. The female had dark brown hair, and heterochromic eyes. I was the one to discover them, all beaten up and covered in blood. The red one swore a lot, especially at me, and I was not impressed with his demanding to see Princess Peach.

She ordered me to show them in, however, and I complied. They introduced themselves as Dante and Lady, and they had come to warn the Smashers that the Cursed Army was on their way. We had only two days before the war was taken to our doorstep once more.

The worst part is... Only a third of the Smashers are actually here.

* * *

So... How did I do?


	2. Ch 1

Chapter 1

Double-Crossed Messenger

* * *

Dust from the slowly advancing desert choked the cold air, hiding the progress of anyone wishing to see the Smash Stadium. What was once sparse grassland and stranded copses of pine had been turned into an endless expanse of dust, the bones of trees, and wicked wind. This had been quite the odd winter already. Who had ever heard of a drought during the winter? Wasn't it supposed to be cold, and wet? At least that was how Peach expected it to be.

Then again, the past year had been a strange one indeed.

After the Subspace Army incident, little could be said or done to prevent the assembled fighters from going on with a party of legendary proportions. Testosterone-laden males loved parties, she supposed, and knew they all needed it. The whole thing had been a harrowing journey (despite her spending a good part of it captured) and the men needed time to let loose. Three days of stuffing themselves (because of Ike, the Smash Mansion ran out of chicken only two meals in), dancing, drinking for those that were of age, and generally being men, they crashed.

For the other women of the Manor, this was a welcomed thing. Daisy, her sister, had heard of the party from her own kingdom, and insisted on coming to represent her part of the Smash Universe. Peach didn't mind so much, it gave her someone else to talk to besides Zelda, and Samus. Both women were nice, but Zelda was almost intimidating elegant, while Samus didn't understand the stresses of being a Princess.

After that, the Brawl Tournament began. Of course, Peach found herself out of the running rather quickly, but had a blast competing anyway. Maybe Daisy's claims to sports being fulfilling had some merit to it after all... Ike came out to be the winner in the end. Even though she loved Mario, Peach felt her heart flutter a bit at the Mercenary's controlled attitude. But, of course, she wouldn't intervene, as Ike had a secret admirer.

The elder of the two Princesses returned her thoughts to the desolate landscape. The sight of the wind whipping the frostbitten earth over the dead stalks of grass chilled her to the bone. It gave her a bad feeling, too, concentrated in the pit of her stomach.

As expected, nothing stayed quiet for long. Over the past three months, reports had been flooding in of demon-like entities, attacking travelers, and entire cities like it was nothing. Mario insisted that it was nothing, but... The attacks were organized, not at all random. These creatures were reported to be rather dumb under the bloodlust, so that meant someone was controlling them.

But who?

"Peach! Get out here!" The blonde's head snapped up at the voice of her sister, calling her from the door to her quarters, banging heavily on the carved wood. The pink-clad lady's heart skipped a beat at the frightened tone taken on by her sister. Peach wheeled around, heels clacking on the tile as she quickly crossed the room, and flung the door open to meet Daisy's fear-stricken eyes.

"What is it?" She looked the yellow Princess over quickly; there was no blood, but worry was written in the lines of her face. It did nothing to alleviate her fears.

"We have two people here, demanding to see us. Princess Zelda's dealing with them now, but we need to get down there, quick." The brunet paused, and leaned closer to her sister, her hand next to her mouth in a sign of utmost secrecy. "I think it has something to do with those attacks we've been hearing..."

"Let's hurry." Peach nodded, and rushed down the hall, her sister keeping up behind her.

-Foyer-

A swirl of red coat passed Zelda as its owner continued to pace at a comfortable speed, completely contrary to what his face said. His face, with a handsome strong nose and a pair of shining baby blues, said he was not pleased with the current situation, and he would continue to complain and pace until it was made better. To be honest, the oldest of the royalty of the Smash Realm should not have been surprised at the stranger's snow white hair, strange leather shirt, vest, and red coat, and the suspicious aura of something dark coming off of him... But she felt she should be guarded around him anyway. Long had it been since he had made a sound other than a grumble, his sarcastic comments and rants to the air fading into silence.

Behind him, leaning on the wall and nonchalantly polishing the barrel of a gun that reminded Zelda of Snake, was the man's female partner. Her hair was the color of chocolate, contrasting against her pale skin, and offsetting a pair of unusual mismatched eyes. Like her partner, her outfit shocked the princess, more so than Samus without her battle armor. A short plaid skirt showed off much more skin then the princess would ever be comfortable showing, while a white blouse was buttoned down to accentuate the lady's feminine assets. It was almost as if she was flaunting that she was a girl, or, rather, trying to prove it.

All in all, it both confused and frustrated Zelda, and she wished Peach and Daisy would hurry, so she wouldn't have to face the pair alone. Clasping her hands before her, the Hylian offered up a silent prayer to the Goddess, to give her strength.

"So..." The princess tried to create a conversation, uneased at the lack of sound other then heavy boots on flagstone.

"Dante's the name, slaying's the game." The snowy-haired man said in passing, still pacing, much to her annoyance. Was he doing that just to get a reaction? Likely. His response worried her a bit, but she was too used to Ike, and figured he was rather a Mercenary like her friend, or a warrior proud of his abilities. Still, something about him still pulled at the corners of her mind, tugging at her gut to warn her.

"Mr. Dante. Could I be at all informed as to what is going on?" It was hard being this kind, sometimes.

"Nope. I ain't going to explain more than once, so you can wait until your friends get here." The Hylian opened her mouth, about to retort, when the clacking of two pairs of heels met her sensitive ears. Relief flooded the woman, and she let out an audible sigh.

"Well then, you won't have to wait long." Dante, if that was truly his name, stopped his pacing for once, eyes lighting up at the sight of the two Princesses. His female partner shook her head, knowing something the other three did not.

"Well well, I expected princesses to be pretty... But you two are downright stunning. Care to let-" Dante's sentence was cut short by a yelp, as his female partner threw a combat knife at him, blade burying itself hilt deep in his shoulder. Both of the younger princesses gasped, while Zelda stared hard at the offending woman, partially out of shock.

"Idiot." The brunette said simply, which was actually the first thing Zelda had ever heard her say. The Hylian Princess fought the urge to throw the woman out, but managed to overcome it, just barely. The action only solidified her unease.

"Damn, Lady! I wasn't going-"

"Going to what? You were already flirting with them. Can we just get on with this?" Dante grumbled, pulling the combat knife out of the muscle of his shoulder to throw it to the floor with a clatter at the woman's feet.

"Alright, alright. Now that all Royalty is assembled," The white haired man motioned around him, pausing for dramatic effect, "I can explain what has taken me from my shop. As the news has probably already reached you by now, I'll assume you know about that Cursed Army that's been raising hell. Well, I've come to warn you all that there's more to it than just some small timers getting together to loot a couple of towns."

The Hylian Princess narrowed her eyes at the red-clad man, not sure if she could trust his word or not. Appearing out of the cold desert to warn them of a threat that had done little to the Smashers themselves didn't exactly strike her as trustworthy; besides, he smelled of something odd. Over the smell of gunpowder and sweat, she could smell something... Otherworldly. It reminded her faintly of the smell Pit carried, but much darker, and fainter. Almost diluted.

"We've been through the Subspace Army, not even half a year ago. How big could they possibly be?" Zelda stated, quite bluntly, while glaring at the man. Dante just grinned to himself, before shifting the large broadsword bound to his back. The motion made the three Princesses shutter. Peach was proficient in combat, Daisy had never had to yet, and Zelda was the only one of the three that could fight worth a damn.

"Well, let's just say that they are not your normal fighters. Infernal magic isn't exactly something you see every day, after all..." The blue-eyed man chuckled, and Zelda pursed her lips. Infernal? Demonic? What the hell was he talking about?

"What my idiot partner is trying to say is that this Cursed Army is made up of primarily demons. From what we could tell, they are led by seven Generals, each named after a Sin." Dante wheeled around to glare at his female friend, looking angry at her for stealing his steam. Behind him, the three were silent with shock.

"Sins? Demons? How do you know all this, Mr. Dante?" Peach finally spoke up, feeling thoroughly frightened by the thought of demons in the Smash Universe. The blond clung to Daisy, who looked as worried as the older princess was afraid. Zelda looked bitter, and she would have cursed, if she were not brought up to be polite, always.

"Well, let's just say, I've crossed blades more than a few times with Demons." A smirk washed away the sour look on the red-clad Warrior's face, as he turned to look at the Trio once more.

"How do we know you are trustworthy?" Zelda asked, almost fearing the answer.

"Well... That's the thing. You don't. But do you really want to be caught with your pants... er, skirts... down when a General comes knocking at your door?" Narrowing her eyes once again, the female warrior felt a headache building up behind her eyes. This was going to be a long day, she could tell...

"...fine. Follow me; we have to contact the other Smashers."

* * *

People would never believe how hard it is to describe Dante from Zelda's perspective. Anyway, I thank those who have reviewed, and cokies to those. My uploading scedual is probably going to be every two weeks, a Wednesday.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The Hero of the Blue Flames

* * *

Cold rain fell from a gray sky, pounding down on the rocky path and turning the earth below his heavy boots to turn slick with half-formed ice. Fog floated past parted lips as a single man struggled through the cold, numb and alone. Grey eyes were downcast, only half-focused on the ground ahead, and half hidden behind sopping blue spikes. His cape, red against the dirty blue of his tunic, did nothing to shield him from the onslaught of sharp cold droplets, as he trudged on.

How long had it been? Weeks? Months? Years? So much time passed by his eyes, but none of it made any sense. It frustrated the man, lost alone in the maddening mix of past and present. Faces, both of friend and enemy, plagued him in his sleep, calling out to him, crying for help. They needed him, so why was he standing in the rain, among the trees? Simple. He couldn't go back. Not yet, anyway.

Rain always did depress him. Ever since the day he turned from a scared little boy... To a man. That day was probably going to be burned in his memory until the day he died.

Suddenly, the rain choked air in front of him shimmered, before a startlingly familiar object materialized in front of the male. Ike stopped in his tracks, freezing as his sharp eyes narrowed. About the size of a small elephant, clad entirely in white, was the being known as Crazy Hand. Mechanical clicks echoed from the entity's finger-limbs as he moved them, and he could almost picture the being looking down at him. Something about it pissed him off, and he reached around his back for Ragnell.

"Peace, Ike Greil." The thing's voice echoed around the rocky enclosure, a high tenor compared to the bass of Master Hand. The warrior was obviously nervous, shifting as the dim gray light almost made the thing blend into the rocks. _Master Hand..._ the Mercenary thought suddenly, _Did Crazy Hand revive him? Is that why he is here?_

"No, I have not." The mechanical being replied, and Ike stiffened. He was not aware he was able to read thoughts. After all, the blunette was horribly inexperienced with the beings that had created the Smash Universe. The hand floated down a bit, turning in profile just as lightning flashed above. The effect was startling, and frightening.

"Then why are you here?" Ike questioned, eyes narrowed, and his tone guarded. His stance was defensive, as his brain had clicked into his battle mindset, figuring the best way to take down Crazy Hand while in such an enclosed space.

"To warn you." The almost artificial voice of the Destroyer rasped, cutting through his calculating in a serious voice. Ike relaxed a bit, but was smart enough to stay on guard, curiosity suddenly rising. After a pause, it continued. "All is not well, I fear. I have discovered my Brother made four crystals that hold great power, and they may have the power to revive him."

The mercenary blinked, hiding his confusion behind a hard mask. He recalled faintly that Marth had mentioned something about a crystal, but... How was that bad? Especially if they could revive Master Hand? The mechanical clicking continued, as the god-like hand moved his joints to prevent ice from forming.

"However, they need to be transported to the Heart of Faults, in order to do this. Another group has learned of these crystal's powers, and wish to exploit it." The blunette's lips pressed into a thin line as the realization of how serious the situation was struck him. But still, it stunk of familiarality. Same quest, same end, same hard battles.

"And let me guess. You need me to gather the crystals and find out where this Heart of Faults lies? While you relax, we do all the work?" The mercenary found enough humor in himself to chuckle dryly, finally replacing his shimmering gold blade on his back. That old chestnut again... Just pawn to higher powers. The other being sighed, running one finger down the icy rock wall.

"I wish I could tell you it were as simple as that. This army-They have powers I've never seen before. The demons they summon seem endless. I'm doing all that I can to hold them off..." The Mercenary found himself shivering, clenching his teeth to prevent the reaction. Whether it be from nerves or this news was unknown.

"No, Ike Greil. What I need you to do is escort the four Guardians of the Crystals. Get them to the Heart, and each one will sincerely have to want Master Hand to be revived." Ike blinked again, thrown a bit off guard. From both his experiences and the stories the other Smashers provided, this was nothing like the mad, cackling being that sought to make them miserable in combat. No, Crazy Hand's attitude was... Remorseful. Slowly, the warrior nodded, eyes glancing downward.

"I... I accept the mission. Have you warned the others, yet?" Another fork of lightning lit up the sky and shook the stones, drawing the man's attention skyward. He would have to pick up transportation at the next town if he were to make good time.

"Only Marth. He is on his way to the Smash Stadium as we speak... He, Roy, Peach and Zelda. You must keep them away from the Generals, or we are all doomed. I will find you if I find more on the Heart." Slowly, the being turned, clicking and whirring as a bright light surrounded him. When it faded, he was gone.

Looking up, the Mercenary sighed to himself, the rain falling straight down like stones from the sky and pressing his navy blue spikes to his face. Rolling his shoulders, Ike started walking once more, determined to get to his destination quickly. It was not anger that churned in his gut, nor was it nerves... No. It was _excitement_. Something strange was going to happen, and he was looking forward to facing it with all he had.

* * *

Elsewhere, the rain that fell over the rocky forest did nothing to quell the flames that consumed the black bones of an old city. The dead, killed by claws and not swords, burned with the buildings, while the few living was rounded up outside of the city's gates. Before the frightened people, the last of the demons ransacking their homes slunk into sight, the blood of innocents dribbling down their maws.

The survivors were mostly strong looking individuals, men, some women, but no children. Out of the shell-shocked, only two cried openly, embracing each other. The woman, whose head was buried in the man's chest, was holding on to the charred scrap of a child's safety blanket. Her hysterical sobs were the only faintly humanoid sounds among the gurgling of the demons and the roar of the flames.

These demons were hellish figures, some carrying scythes, others with blades sewn in place of limbs. Most of them, however, where mere skeletons with dried skin and dark robes covering their bones, hefting large scythes that were taller than themselves. In the sunken pits of their skulls, sickly red eyes glowed, flickering in the flames of the burning city.

Out of the ranks of hell spawn, one hooded figure stepped forth. Although he looked more akin to the humans, one could not tell under the shadowed hood of the cloak, although the few pieces of flesh seen were unnaturally pale. Slowly, the figure made its way over to the couple, drawing the attention of the man, who nudged his lover gently. Her sobbing softened to a quiet hiccup, as she stared at the man through the shadows of her blackened hair.

"I should slaughter the lot of you for the insults your mayor bestowed upon me... However, I am feeling generous today." The cloaked figure spoke into the minds of the assembled people, most of them flinching at the sudden intrusion into their heads. Slowly, the man, or thing as it were, started pacing, and the people noticed the lack of movement under the cloak that usually signified movement. The man... Thing... Was floating just an inch above the ground.

"I am giving you all a second chance. All you have to do... Is swear allegiance to the Cursed Army, and make a donation of half of your town's riches." More lightning crashed down from above, highlighting purple eyes from under the cloak. Those who saw this gasped, some hiding behind others who were rather too shocked to move, or did not see it.

"Keep in mind," The being added, his tone carrying the full weight of authority, "If you refuse, I will kill you all and feed your corpses to my personal servants. But I would rather have the support of the people behind me, I hope you understand."

The city-dwellers looked to each other, some whispering to those they knew to try and come up with an answer. Behind the cloaked being, several demons shifted, looking at the people like a starved dog would stare at a bloodied steak. Finally, one of the men, one who had stood next to the man and his wife, stepped forth.

"And what would you wish us to do afterward? We are just simple merchants." The being scoffed, using his physical voice instead of the mental one to do so. Slowly, he floated over to the brave fool, holding up a hand that had only three digits to it. It glowed an electric blue, the same shade engulfing the man, and he slowly rose, several screams and shouts erupting from the people.

"What I expect you to do, you filthy human, is to spread the word of the Cursed Army. And you had better spread it far, or else I might just choose to pull your entrails out from your mouth." The man blanched, nodding furiously before being dropped unceremoniously on the ground.

"Those of you who wish to survive by my terms, I advise you to move over there." The oddly shaped hand pointed to a spot about a hundred yards away, and there was much scuffling before the survivors moved to the spot, panic clear in everyone's faces. Only a few brave souls stayed, including the man and his wife. They had the hands of warriors, the hooded figure could see that clearly, and the fires of defiance burning brightly in their eyes. They had chosen to die with honor, rather than live a coward.

"Kill those that remain, and return to the Base when you are finished." Several of the demons jumped forth, scythes raised high to tear apart the few brave ones, and the hooded figure simply vanished.


	4. Chapter 3

Super Smash Brothers: Conflict

Chapter 3

Fear the Dangerous Mind

* * *

"Mario, what are we going to do? Demons... And we know so little about what is going on!" A worried, feminine voice echoed around the small bar connected to the mess hall, barely audible over the din of the jukebox. Smoke from the bar's single employee wafted through the room, hanging in a cloud over the pair, while the plumber's reassuring voice washed over the princess.

"Peach, it's-a gonna be okay. Everything wills-a work out in the end." Peach held her red-clad Knight's hand in her own as she looked down, bright blue orbs glossy with tears. While Zelda was contacting the other Smashers, Daisy helped out the kitchen, serving their two unannounced guests. Peach was scared of what was going to happen, scared of the vivid pictures Dante painted in her mind of the horrors of Hell. Even the Subspace Army was not this frightening...

"But... What if it doesn't? What if the Kingdoms fall?" There was a pregnant pause as the blond finally looked up to her one and only Hero, tears gleaming on her porcelain face. "And what if they don't answer? What if they've already captured the other Smashers? Link? Pit? Roy or Marth?"

Mario frowned, wrapping an arm around his Peach, who started sobbing, burying her head into the fabric of his overalls. Worry lined the brunette man's face, sighing silently into the princess's blond hair. The plumber rubbed her back in smooth, soothing circles, shaking his head. When the Princess had called him, voice cracking and emotions straining, he had taken off at a run for the Smash Stadium, making it there in record time.

"It's-a okay, Mama... Everyone will get-a here safe and-a sound." The Hero of the Mushroom Kingdom murmured, frown deepening.

What he had not told Peach was that his trip here had not been so smooth. Between the Mushroom Palace and the Smash Stadium was a large expanse of grassland and pine trees, turned to dust and bone due to the odd drought. The trip would have been uneventful, if not for one thing. He had run across a group of odd looking creatures, bone and rags, led by a single figure garbed in blue. Mario had snuck up on the group, trying to find out what was happening, but the man disappeared, and the creatures exploded into dust. It worried him greatly, especially since none of the descriptions given to him by Dante matched the blue man...

"Can I get you two anything else?" Mario looked down at Toad, the bartender, who stood off to the side on the other side of the counter, polishing a glass with an uncomfortable look on his face. The floor had been raised behind the counter to give the short-statured Mushroom a chance to serve taller customers.

"Yes, a cola with-a rum, please." Mario ordered quietly, while his Princess's sobs quieted into soft hiccups. Outside, the wind rattled the few high windows, howling for all it was worth. Ice clinking together as the drink was handed to the Mushroom Hero, Peach stifled a sob, putting a hand to her chest. Underneath the chaste white gloves, on her left ring finger, a small pink-orange glow emanated, pulsing weakly.

* * *

"Alright, Zelda. I'll see if I can't get in contact with the Star Fox team... I haven't heard from them lately." Samus's face bore the signs of worry and lack of sleep, framed in the screen of the Communications Room of the Smash Stadium. The Hylian Princess could see both things clear as day, even over the bad quality of the picture chat. The fact that this was all visible only worried the warrior princess further.

"Thank you, Samus." The graceful lady bowed slightly to the screen, looking down to check off a series of names on her clipboard. Several names were slashed out on the extensive list, in a violent red color. Those were the Villains, as the group of evil-doers had been called since the Subspace Incident. Bowser, Ganondorf, Dedede... The list went on. They were officially on the Roster for the tournaments, but no one wanted them around.

"Oh, and Zelda..." Just as the eldest of the Royalty was about to switch off the monitor, the Bounty Hunter's voice stopped her. "Please, be careful until I return."

Zelda nodded, switching it off with a firm and final click. She sighed, setting the clipboard down on the control panel, and flopped into her seat. Around her, screens were lined up on the walls, showing feedback from security cameras that Snake had insisted on installing. Thinking back on it, it had been a good idea, although most of the Smashers were not pleased with the thought. Snake... He was one of those she could not contact. The Star Fox Team, Star Wolf, Snake, Olimar, and... And Link. He had been gone for two weeks, sent out to confirm a rumor that had reached the ears of the Smashers. It all seemed so trivial in the face of the new threat, looming in the distance like a storm on the horizon. She still had to try and get in contact with those that didn't have technology; Prince Marth, Prince Roy, Kirby and Meta Knight, and all the others...

"You seem awfully close to that chick. Didn't know you were into the girls like that... Damned shame, that is." A sudden voice interrupted the Hylian's train of thought, making her wheel around, spell flaring at her fingertips. Dante laughed as he entered the room, bowing with a flourish. It finally clicked with Zelda what the red-clad warrior was insinuating.

"...no! It's not like that at all!" Zelda exclaimed, hands held in tightly closed fists by her sides. Her face paled a shade, and Dante smirked.

"If you say so, Princess. What's the story so far?" The hylian's shoulders slumped, the last traces of anger fading away rapidly as sorrow rushed in to replace the emotion. The dark blond leaned against the cool metal of the control panel, a barely audible sigh escaping her lips. Her heart throbbed with each beat, a dull pain that reminded her of the situation, and just how far her loved ones were.

"Samus, a Bounty Hunter that has been in all three tournaments, is taking care of reaching those we can't. Unfortunately, that includes a good one-fourth of last year's roster, including Red and the Pokémon that have competed." Eyes slipping closed; the princess took a deep breath to steady her, that uncomfortable feeling of dread creeping up on her again. "In addition, contact has been cut off from the Eastern half of the continent, from the old Ruins onward. This means I cannot contact the Ice Climbers Nana and Popo. Finally, there are a few central figures from my country that I cannot find. Namely... Link."

There was a pause from the silver-haired man. "Link's the kid that saved you several times from that Ganondorf guy, right? Where was he last?"

"On his way to the Jungle, to confirm rumors of the attacks on the Jungle Railway." More grief rose up from the dread, rising higher and higher, threatening to drown the princess in tears. Thoughts turned painful when she felt Link was in danger. And somehow, deep in her mind, she knew that he was. "That was two weeks ago."

"I see... Trains are how you guys keep in touch with the rest of this continent, right?" Gone was the mocking tone from Dante's voice, replaced by a tired curiosity. "They take that out; there goes most of the communications."

"That is correct... Mister Dante, can we trust you? I mean, really. With so many gone, we need to know we can rely on those we still have." The mercenary could hear the blatant pain in the woman's voice, as familiar to him as his own. Dante sighed, sticking his hands in the pockets of his leather pants, a worn smirk gracing his handsome lips.

"Yeah, you can trust me and Lady. Demon Hunting is our business. You'd be hard-pressed to find demons organized like this anywhere, even Hell." He paused, shaking his head, the near-luminesant locks shadowing his baby blue eyes. "Whoever's doing this knows a lot about demons. And if they're that strong, they may know something of value to me..."

Zelda was silent for a moment. She had not guessed that the red-clad warrior was capable of emotions like this. Even his dark aura that put her on edge reflected his own sadness. "...and may I ask what that would be?"

"Information on some family of mine." Elegant brows bunched together in confusion, as a single stone in her crown flashed dimly. The light was not noticed by either party, but as it faded, cast a weak red-purple glow.

* * *

"The shattered pieces of star have been set on the playing board. While this dark storm tears at the edges of this frail paper moon, hope exists in the smallest of things."


End file.
